Sep. 23, 2024
Laser-cutting technology, once a marvel of scientific achievement, has become an integral tool across various industries'from manufacturing to design.
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Since its inception, the laser cutter has revolutionised how materials are processed, allowing for precision cuts and intricate details that were previously impossible.
This transformative technology has enhanced production capabilities and opened up new realms of creative possibility.
Here we'll explore the fascinating history of laser cutters, dive into the different types available today, and consider the innovations shaping their future.
The story of laser cutters cannot be told without acknowledging the theoretical groundwork laid by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century.
Although Einstein himself did not build a laser, his seminal contributions to quantum mechanics were critical for the development of laser technology.
In , Einstein published a paper on the quantum theory of radiation, expanding on the work of Max Planck, positing the process of stimulated emission, where an atom or molecule in an excited state, when perturbed by a photon with a specific energy, can be stimulated to emit additional photons of the same energy, phase, and direction.
This principle was revolutionary, forming the basis for both the maser (learn more about masers) and the laser.
Einstein's theory described how light interacts with atomic structure to amplify electromagnetic radiation, a fundamental mechanism utilized in all lasers. This theoretical foundation remained a curiosity until the mid-20th century when scientists began exploring practical applications of quantum mechanics.
The first functioning laser, a direct descendant of Einstein's theoretical predictions, was built in by Theodore H. Maiman.
This ruby laser used a synthetic ruby crystal and emitted a red focused laser beam through a laser cutting nozzle, which was intense enough to cut through various materials, showcasing the potential for what would become modern laser cutting tools.
As technology advanced through the decades, laser cutters saw significant enhancements.
In , a significant advancement in laser technology occurred when Kumar Patel, working at Bell Labs, developed the first Carbon Dioxide (CO2) laser.
This new type of laser represented a major breakthrough due to its cost-effectiveness and enhanced efficiency compared to the previously dominant ruby laser.
Learn more about how CO2 laser cutters work here.
The carbon dioxide laser quickly became the preferred choice for industrial applications, largely because of its ability to consistently deliver powerful and precise cuts.
The first production-oriented laser was introduced in by Western Electric, specifically designed to cut holes in diamond dies. This early application of laser technology showcased its potential for precise and efficient industrial use.
By , the technology had advanced to a point where CO2 lasers could achieve outputs exceeding 1,000 watts, making them incredibly powerful tools for cutting and engraving a wide range of materials.
In , The Boeing Company marked a significant milestone in the history of manufacturing technology by becoming the first worldwide company to use gas laser cutting in a commercial capacity. After extensive research, they concluded the laser cutter was a very economical cutting tool with unrivalled precision.
This innovative move involved the application of CO2 laser technology, which had only been developed and patented by Bell Labs a few years earlier.
Boeing utilized this advanced technology to cut and engrave materials with unprecedented precision and efficiency. Thus, the laser cutting process we know today was born,
The adoption of gas laser cutting by such a prominent aerospace manufacturer not only validated the capabilities of laser technology in demanding manufacturing industry environments but also set a new standard for precision manufacturing.
Following Boeing's large-scale adoption, the s and s marked a period of rapid growth as laser cutters entered big industries, and also became more accessible to in smaller workshops and among hobbyists.
There are three primary types of laser cutters, each suited to different materials and applications:
Common Uses: CO2 laser cutters remain extremely popular to this day, are highly versatile and predominantly used for cutting non-metal materials such as wood, leather, acrylic, plastic, and fabric.
They are also well-suited for engraving and etching applications, making them popular in industries like signage, fashion, and interior design.
Due to their ability to produce a smooth finish on the edges of cut materials, they are also extensively used in the packaging industry.
Advantages: Excellent for detailed work on softer materials, relatively lower cost compared to other types, and capable of large-scale production runs.
Limitations: Less effective on metals and thicker materials, which can be a drawback for more industrial applications.
Common Uses: Fiber laser cutters are primarily used for cutting metals, including steel, aluminum, copper, and brass. Their high precision and speed make them ideal for automotive, aerospace, and electronics manufacturing, where consistent cutting of complex, metal parts such as mild steel is required.
Fiber lasers are also increasingly used in applications where metals such as stainless steel, aluminium and brass must be engraved.
Learn more about what fiber lasers are here and the differences between fiber laser cutters and CO2 laser cutters here.
Advantages: High efficiency and speed, lower operational costs due to energy savings and minimal maintenance, excellent for processing reflective metals.
Limitations: Generally more expensive than CO2 lasers and not as effective for cutting thick materials or non-metal materials.
Common Uses: Crystal lasers can handle both metal and non-metal materials, though they are often used for applications requiring extremely high precision, such as in the medical device and electronics industries. Their ability to focus a very small and intense laser beam is beneficial for creating intricate designs and components.
Advantages: Versatile in terms of material compatibility, very precise cutting capabilities, and good for thick material cutting.
Limitations: Higher cost of ownership due to the shorter lifespan of the laser source and higher maintenance requirements compared to CO2 and fiber lasers.
The main deciding factor between these types depends on the specific requirements of the project, including the material type, thickness, and the precision needed in the cutting process.
If you're in the market for a laser cutter and don't know which type is best suited for your needs, check out this article on How To Choose a Laser Cutter, or give our friendly team a call on +44 (0)
In recent years, laser cutting technology has continued to evolve with significant technological advancements.
Automation and improved precision have been central themes. Modern laser cutters are equipped with sophisticated laser cutting software, allowing for more detailed control and flexibility in design.
Integration with computer-aided design (CAD) software has made the transition from design to production much smoother and faster.
Another major innovation is the development of more eco-friendly laser cutters. These newer models use less energy and reduce waste materials, aligning with global sustainability goals.
Some of the major industries that utilise laser cutters today include:
These applications demonstrate the versatility and essential role of laser cutting technology across a broad spectrum of industries.
Looking ahead, the industry is moving towards even more automation with the incorporation of AI and machine learning algorithms, which promise to optimize cutting processes, increase quality control and reduce human error.
The history and development of laser cutters reflect a dynamic evolution of technology driven by the need for precision and efficiency in material processing.
Understanding the different types of laser cutters and their respective advantages allows manufacturers, designers, and hobbyists to select the best tool for their specific needs.
As technology continues to advance, we can expect laser cutters to become even more precise, efficient, and integrated into various fabrication processes.
This ongoing innovation not only enhances industrial productivity but also expands the creative horizons for artists and designers around the world.
Laser cutting is a technology that uses a laser to vaporize materials, resulting in a cut edge. While typically used for industrial manufacturing applications, it is now used by schools, small businesses, architecture, and hobbyists. Laser cutting works by directing the output of a high-power laser most commonly through optics. The laser optics and CNC (computer numerical control) are used to direct the laser beam to the material. A commercial laser for cutting materials uses a motion control system to follow a CNC or G-code of the pattern to be cut onto the material. The focused laser beam is directed at the material, which then either melts, burns, vaporizes away, or is blown away by a jet of gas,[1] leaving an edge with a high-quality surface finish.[2]
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In , the first production laser cutting machine was used to drill holes in diamond dies. This machine was made by the Western Electric Engineering Research Center.[3] In , the British pioneered laser-assisted oxygen jet cutting for metals.[4] In the early s, this technology was put into production to cut titanium for aerospace applications. At the same time, CO2 lasers were adapted to cut non-metals, such as textiles, because, at the time, CO2 lasers were not powerful enough to overcome the thermal conductivity of metals.[5]
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Industrial laser cutting of steel with cutting instructions programmed through the CNC interfaceThe laser beam is generally focused using a high-quality lens on the work zone. The quality of the beam has a direct impact on the focused spot size. The narrowest part of the focused beam is generally less than 0. inches (0.32 mm) in diameter. Depending upon the material thickness, kerf widths as small as 0.004 inches (0.10 mm) are possible.[6] In order to be able to start cutting from somewhere other than the edge, a pierce is done before every cut. Piercing usually involves a high-power pulsed laser beam which slowly makes a hole in the material, taking around 5'15 seconds for 0.5-inch-thick (13 mm) stainless steel, for example.
The parallel rays of coherent light from the laser source often fall in the range between 0.06'0.08 inches (1.5'2.0 mm) in diameter. This beam is normally focused and intensified by a lens or a mirror to a very small spot of about 0.001 inches (0.025 mm) to create a very intense laser beam. In order to achieve the smoothest possible finish during contour cutting, the direction of the beam polarization must be rotated as it goes around the periphery of a contoured workpiece. For sheet metal cutting, the focal length is usually 1.5'3 inches (38'76 mm).[7][8]
Advantages of laser cutting over mechanical cutting include easier work holding and reduced contamination of workpiece (since there is no cutting edge which can become contaminated by the material or contaminate the material). Precision may be better since the laser beam does not wear during the process. There is also a reduced chance of warping the material that is being cut, as laser systems have a small heat-affected zone.[9] Some materials are also very difficult or impossible to cut by more traditional means[10].
Laser cutting for metals has the advantage over plasma cutting of being more precise[11] and using less energy when cutting sheet metal; however, most industrial lasers cannot cut through the greater metal thickness that plasma can. Newer laser machines operating at higher power ( watts, as contrasted with early laser cutting machines' -watt ratings) are approaching plasma machines in their ability to cut through thick materials, but the capital cost of such machines is much higher than that of plasma cutting machines capable of cutting thick materials like steel plate.[12]
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watt CO2 laser cutterThere are three main types of lasers used in laser cutting. The CO2 laser is suited for cutting, boring, and engraving. The neodymium (Nd) and neodymium yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers are identical in style and differ only in the application. Nd is used for boring and where high energy but low repetition are required. The Nd:YAG laser is used where very high power is needed and for boring and engraving. Both CO2 and Nd/Nd:YAG lasers can be used for welding.[13]
CO2 lasers are commonly "pumped" by passing a current through the gas mix (DC-excited) or using radio frequency energy (RF-excited). The RF method is newer and has become more popular. Since DC designs require electrodes inside the cavity, they can encounter electrode erosion and plating of electrode material on glassware and optics. Since RF resonators have external electrodes they are not prone to those problems. CO2 lasers are used for the industrial cutting of many materials including titanium, stainless steel, mild steel, aluminium, plastic, wood, engineered wood, wax, fabrics, and paper. YAG lasers are primarily used for cutting and scribing metals and ceramics.
In addition to the power source, the type of gas flow can affect performance as well. Common variants of CO2 lasers include fast axial flow, slow axial flow, transverse flow, and slab. In a fast axial flow resonator, the mixture of carbon dioxide, helium, and nitrogen is circulated at high velocity by a turbine or blower. Transverse flow lasers circulate the gas mix at a lower velocity, requiring a simpler blower. Slab or diffusion-cooled resonators have a static gas field that requires no pressurization or glassware, leading to savings on replacement turbines and glassware.
The laser generator and external optics (including the focus lens) require cooling. Depending on system size and configuration, waste heat may be transferred by a coolant or directly to air. Water is a commonly used coolant, usually circulated through a chiller or heat transfer system.
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A laser microjet is a water-jet-guided laser in which a pulsed laser beam is coupled into a low-pressure water jet. This is used to perform laser cutting functions while using the water jet to guide the laser beam, much like an optical fiber, through total internal reflection. The advantages of this are that the water also removes debris and cools the material. Additional advantages over traditional "dry" laser cutting are high dicing speeds, parallel kerf, and omnidirectional cutting.[14]
Fiber lasers are a type of solid-state laser that is rapidly growing within the metal cutting industry. Unlike CO2, Fiber technology utilizes a solid gain medium, as opposed to a gas or liquid. The 'seed laser' produces the laser beam and is then amplified within a glass fiber. With a wavelength of only nanometers fiber lasers produce an extremely small spot size (up to 100 times smaller compared to the CO2) making it ideal for cutting reflective metal material. This is one of the main advantages of Fiber compared to CO2.
Fibre laser cutter benefits include:
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There are many different methods of cutting using lasers, with different types used to cut different materials. Some of the methods are vaporization, melt and blow, melt blow and burn, thermal stress cracking, scribing, cold cutting, and burning stabilized laser cutting.
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In vaporization cutting, the focused beam heats the surface of the material to a flashpoint and generates a keyhole. The keyhole leads to a sudden increase in absorptivity quickly deepening the hole. As the hole deepens and the material boils, vapor generated erodes the molten walls blowing ejection out and further enlarging the hole. Nonmelting materials such as wood, carbon, and thermoset plastics are usually cut by this method.
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Melt and blow or fusion cutting uses high-pressure gas to blow molten material from the cutting area, greatly decreasing the power requirement. First, the material is heated to melting point then a gas jet blows the molten material out of the kerf avoiding the need to raise the temperature of the material any further. Materials cut with this process are usually metals.
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Brittle materials are particularly sensitive to thermal fracture, a feature exploited in thermal stress cracking. A beam is focused on the surface causing localized heating and thermal expansion. This results in a crack that can then be guided by moving the beam. The crack can be moved in order of m/s. It is usually used in the cutting of glass.
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The separation of microelectronic chips as prepared in semiconductor device fabrication from silicon wafers may be performed by the so-called stealth dicing process, which operates with a pulsed Nd:YAG laser, the wavelength of which ( nm) is well adapted to the electronic band gap of silicon (1.11 eV or nm).
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Reactive cutting is also called "burning stabilized laser gas cutting" and "flame cutting". Reactive cutting is like oxygen torch cutting but with a laser beam as the ignition source. Mostly used for cutting carbon steel in thicknesses over 1 mm. This process can be used to cut very thick steel plates with relatively little laser power.
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Laser cutters have a positioning accuracy of 10 micrometers and repeatability of 5 micrometers.[citation needed]
Standard roughness Rz increases with the sheet thickness, but decreases with laser power and cutting speed. When cutting low carbon steel with laser power of 800 W, standard roughness Rz is 10 μm for sheet thickness of 1 mm, 20 μm for 3 mm, and 25 μm for 6 mm.
R z = 12.528 ' S 0.542 P 0.528 ' V 0.322 {\displaystyle Rz={\frac {12.528\cdot S^{0.542}}{P^{0.528}\cdot V^{0.322}}}}
Where: S = {\displaystyle S=} steel sheet thickness in mm; P = {\displaystyle P=} laser power in kW (some new laser cutters have laser power of 4 kW); V = {\displaystyle V=} cutting speed in meters per minute.[16]
This process is capable of holding quite close tolerances, often to within 0.001 inch (0.025 mm). Part geometry and the mechanical soundness of the machine have much to do with tolerance capabilities. The typical surface finish resulting from laser beam cutting may range from 125 to 250 micro-inches (0.003 mm to 0.006 mm).[13]
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Dual-pallet flying optics laser Flying optics laser headThere are generally three different configurations of industrial laser cutting machines: moving material, hybrid, and flying optics systems. These refer to the way that the laser beam is moved over the material to be cut or processed. For all of these, the axes of motion are typically designated X and Y axis. If the cutting head may be controlled, it is designated as the Z-axis.
Moving material lasers have a stationary cutting head and move the material under it. This method provides a constant distance from the laser generator to the workpiece and a single point from which to remove cutting effluent. It requires fewer optics but requires moving the workpiece. This style of machine tends to have the fewest beam delivery optics but also tends to be the slowest.
Hybrid lasers provide a table that moves in one axis (usually the X-axis) and moves the head along the shorter (Y) axis. This results in a more constant beam delivery path length than a flying optic machine and may permit a simpler beam delivery system. This can result in reduced power loss in the delivery system and more capacity per watt than flying optics machines.
Flying optics lasers feature a stationary table and a cutting head (with a laser beam) that moves over the workpiece in both of the horizontal dimensions. Flying optics cutters keep the workpiece stationary during processing and often do not require material clamping. The moving mass is constant, so dynamics are not affected by varying the size of the workpiece. Flying optics machines are the fastest type, which is advantageous when cutting thinner workpieces.[17]
Flying optic machines must use some method to take into account the changing beam length from the near field (close to the resonator) cutting to the far field (far away from the resonator) cutting. Common methods for controlling this include collimation, adaptive optics, or the use of a constant beam length axis.
Five and six-axis machines also permit cutting formed workpieces. In addition, there are various methods of orienting the laser beam to a shaped workpiece, maintaining a proper focus distance and nozzle standoff.
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Pulsed lasers which provide a high-power burst of energy for a short period are very effective in some laser cutting processes, particularly for piercing, or when very small holes or very low cutting speeds are required, since if a constant laser beam were used, the heat could reach the point of melting the whole piece being cut.
Most industrial lasers have the ability to pulse or cut CW (continuous wave) under NC (numerical control) program control.
Double pulse lasers use a series of pulse pairs to improve material removal rate and hole quality. Essentially, the first pulse removes material from the surface and the second prevents the ejecta from adhering to the side of the hole or cut.[18]
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The main disadvantage of laser cutting is the high power consumption. Industrial laser efficiency may range from 5% to 45%.[19] The power consumption and efficiency of any particular laser will vary depending on output power and operating parameters. This will depend on the type of laser and how well the laser is matched to the work at hand. The amount of laser cutting power required, known as heat input, for a particular job depends on the material type, thickness, process (reactive/inert) used, and desired cutting rate.
Amount of heat input required for various materials at various thicknesses using a CO2 laser [watts][
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Material Material thickness 0.51 mm 1.0 mm 2.0 mm 3.2 mm 6.4 mm Stainless steel Aluminium Mild steel ' 400 ' 500 ' Titanium 250 210 210 ' ' Plywood ' ' ' ' 650 Boron/epoxy ' ' ' '[
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The maximum cutting rate (production rate) is limited by a number of factors including laser power, material thickness, process type (reactive or inert), and material properties. Common industrial systems ('1 kW) will cut carbon steel metal from 0.51 ' 13 mm in thickness. For many purposes, a laser can be up to thirty times faster than standard sawing.[21]
Cutting rates using a CO2 laser [cm/second] Workpiece material Material thickness 0.51 mm 1.0 mm 2.0 mm 3.2 mm 6.4 mm 13 mm Stainless steel 42.3 23.28 13.76 7.83 3.4 0.76 Aluminium 33.87 14.82 6.35 4.23 1.69 1.27 Mild steel ' 8.89 7.83 6.35 4.23 2.1 Titanium 12.7 12.7 4.23 3.4 2.5 1.7 Plywood ' ' ' ' 7.62 1.9 Boron / epoxy ' ' ' 2.5 2.5 1.1[
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